All across the world, women differ in their plans for families. Some women want children, while others don't. Some women want to have only one child, while others want quite a few. No matter what the case may be, there's never really one "right" way to live your life.
Mom Pregnant With Her Fourth Child Calls Out Shamers Who Criticize Big Families
For women who decide to have children, some say it's a hard road.
Unsplash | 🇸🇮 Janko Ferlič
After having a few kids, some moms say that many begin to "pregnancy shame" women, saying that there is such a thing as "too many" pregnancies.
Recently, one mom spoke out on Instagram about this.
Anna Strode spoke out in an Instagram post, saying that she never even realized there was such a thing as "pregnancy shaming" until after she announced she was pregnant with her fourth baby.
Strode said she had stopped posting as much on social media.
"Over the past 7 months I have been criticised [sic], judged, and blatantly questioned why we have chosen to have another baby," she wrote.
People had been sending her some rude messages and comments.
"I've had comments and inbox messages saying all sorts of things from 'Wow, surely you're not pregnant AGAIN' to 'STOP HAVING BABIES' to people asking if I don't believe in contraception and making rude comments about our children being so close in age and that I won't enjoy them," she added.
She decided to clear the air.
"Yes — I do believe in contraception, I was on it for manyyyyyy years. YES this baby WAS planned. We actually tried for a few months before successfully falling pregnant," she wrote.
She also said she loves all of her children and enjoys them all.
"And YES, I thoroughly enjoy my children even though they are close in age. I LOVE it in fact," she added.
Strode and her husband always wanted four kids.
"I always wanted 4 children. For as long as I can remember, 4 just seemed like the number for me. I also all imagined them being close in age. I was blessed that my husband wanted the same."
She just didn't understand why people online would criticize her for choices.
"I never imagined that doing what my hubby and I wanted to do, would upset so many people or affect them in any way. I mean, I don't understand why us having another baby would worry anyone so much," she said..
She just couldn't wrap her head around the "shamers."
"Anyone would think I asked the 'pregnancy shamers' to wake all night and feed my baby, change dirty nappies, entertain my toddlers. But no, nothing will change for them so why the negativity towards me and my [family's] choices?" she asked.
But, she's decided to take the high road.
"I've decided some people are just negative and that's that... you can't please everyone. Be kind people, please be kind," she closed out her Instagram post.
All in all, Strode said she'll never understand why people pregnancy shame and many agreed with her.
One mom of four daughters shared the comments she constantly gets about "not liking girls" just because she is having another child.
Other moms said they totally relate.
Many moms commented on the post saying that they also get the same comments and go through the exact same pregnancy shaming that this mom goes through, too.
It looks like these moms agree that enough is enough with all this pregnancy shaming!
Some moms get it from strangers.
One woman in the comments said that she gets lectures at the grocery store from employees while food shopping with her kids. Could you even imagine?
Others agreed and said to focus on the bigger picture.
One person said a baby is "a reason to be excited" and every baby deserves that excitement, no matter how many siblings they have.
Amen!
Filed Under:
Most Popular
